Path of Destruction
by Wolfwind97
Summary: Before I read Plague, set after Lies. Everybody knew the end of the FAYZ was going to come someday. However, many wars were bound to break out sooner or later. Can people change from being a nobody to being a somebody?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own **_**Gone**_**'s characters or any of its content. Michael Grant does! **

**Chapter 1:Accusation**

**Edilio's POV**

The sun was shining brightly through the barrier known as the FAYZ, but the welcoming image could possibly be an illusion. I cradled my gun at my side as I walked through the town. Kids swarmed the streets, trying to make their way to the plaza where Sam was holding a meeting about current events. The FAYZ was becoming stranger by the day, making confusion spread around every corner.

Nearly five weeks ago, chaos had descended upon Perdido Beach. Drake was walking among us as Brittney who was fighting him the entire time, the girl Nerezza nearly caused a catastrophe, Mary poofed, Lana left, and Little Pete went into something like a coma. Little Pete was the creator of the FAYZ and was probably the only one who could free us of this burden. Only a few of us knew about Little Pete's powers and we planned to keep it that way. Now that Drake was contained, everything seemed fine.

"Hey, Edilio." Brianna greeted. "I suppose all these kids are going to the meeting." She gestured toward a group of walking kids.

"Hey, Breeze. Word of Sam's speech sure did spread quickly. People are curious and confused, they'll want reassurance from Sam." I replied, still walking. "How have you been? Have you been getting enough to eat?" The common question made Brianna sigh.

"Yes, I'm getting enough to eat. How come you don't ask different stuff? Like, 'How are you and Jack doing?' or something like that?" Breeze and Jack had started dating, everyone knew it. Still, it felt wrong invading her private life. Before I could answer, Breeze said, "We're here."

All kinds of kids were gathered around Sam, already asking questions which Sam was obviously ignoring for the time being. I didn't come here to hear Sam's speech for I knew what was going on anyway. Every time Sam has a meeting, there is usually tension and hostility rising from both the crowd and the council. With a gun in my hands, kids usually obeyed.

I walked toward the front to get near Sam as if I were his bodyguard. It was hard to tall what some kids would do these days. Even though the Human Crew was gone, there was still threats coming from the normal kids and the mutants. Sam raised a hand to get the noise from the crowd to die down and they obeyed at once, not wanting to get fried by killer beams.

"You all know what happened a few weeks ago when Drake returned and Mary stepped out. I would have gave this speech sooner, but I've been busy. The threat is gone, for now at least, so we need kids to get back on their regular duties." Sam was cut off.

"Regular duties? You mean hard labor!" One of the kids shouted from the middle of the group. "Don't you have enough of your people to handle all of that?"

"No, I don't have enough people to handle all of that. We all need to work together to survive and not let there be a line between the normals and the mutants. The Human Crew tried that and you heard the result." Sam replied as calmly as he could. Immediately, questions hammered Sam like Orc throwing a truck at him.

"What exactly happened to Nerezza? Did you kill her?"

"Can you make the lights come on?"

"Do we have to work?"

"Quiet!" Sam spoke forcefully. The kids immediately went silent. "All I am saying is, we need more kids to work and not mope around all day. Now that the threat is over, for a while at least, kids need to work more or we won't survive." He looked around the plaza and spotted a small kid, at least four years old, with her hand rose in the air. Sam nodded at her.

"I want Mother Mary. When is she coming back?" Luckily, John picked her up and shushed her.

"I don't know when or if Mary is coming back. We just have to pull through this because nothing can last forever." Sam stated. "Until then, I want the older kids to think about being recruited into a job. I don't care which one, just pick one and go with it. When you make a decision, go to whoever you want to work for. That's all."

"Is that what all of this was about? Going and get a job? I figured you would talk about the battle!" One kid said stepping in front of the crowd. "What kind of leader are you? You can't even keep the lights on, defeat Caine, or kill Drake!"

Quinn walked up to the kid and placed a hand on his shoulder. "Look, Sam is ten times better than Caine. It could be worse. We would all be dead by now if it hadn't been for Sam."

"Look who's talking! You're just a fisherman! You betrayed Sam to Caine when this first happened!" The kid snapped back.

"And I know from experience how Caine is! And trust me he is a lot worse than you can imagine. Dude, I'm only saying you should listen to Sam and do whatever it takes to survive. If you yelled at Caine, he would kill you on the spot." Quinn let go of the kid's shoulder. "It could be worse. I realized the mistake I made when I joined Caine and now I'm glad Sam let me back on his side."

"He only let you because you're his friend." The kid remarked.

I rose to my feet, "Look, Quinn proved himself at the Thanksgiving Battle. While you cowered, people put their lives on the line to protect the town. If anything, you need to prove yourself to everybody around you instead of defying everything you hear."

Kids were nodding at mine and Quinn's words, the realization of survival sinking in. I nodded at Quinn who nodded back respectfully. Sam dismissed the meeting and everybody scrambled away all except for the kid who had started the argument. Then I noticed Astrid was here.

"You're just going to get us all killed, Sam. You know it, Astrid the Genius knows it, as well as your Mexican sidekick right there." The kid pointed at me but I let the remark pass.

"You mean Honduran." I muttered under my breath.

"Dude, why do keep going on like this? It's not making things any better." Quinn asked.

The kid looked at Quinn then lashed out with a fist. Quinn reeled backward when the fist came in contact with his chin. I moved in between them.

"Leave now." I said in the most dangerous tone I could muster. The kid didn't want to hit a guy with a gun, so he turned around and stalked away.

"What's up with that kid?" Quinn asked when he regained his footing. Then looking at me, "Thanks, I owe you."

Sam, Astrid, and I looked at him, surprised.

"What?" Quinn asked.

"I think that is the first time you ever thanked Edilio." Astrid replied.

"And owed him." Sam added.

"I have thanked Edilio before!" Quinn said. Then, "Haven't I?"

"No." Sam, Astrid, and I all said in unison.

Amazingly, we laughed. Something we haven't done in a long time. Then, I left to get back to work. Training was at dawn and it was already close to it. The whole time I walked, I wondered about the past things that happened in the FAYZ. If I would have stepped out, where would we be at now? Coming to no conclusion, I let my mind wander somewhere else.

The whole time, I didn't see the pair of eyes watching me as I walked. The kid turned and headed back to Coates ready to deliver information about Perdido Beach's most important people. The master would be happy when his messenger returned to him. For now they can start the next stage in planning.

I practiced shooting until the first rays of dawn shone on the town and I knew to get back home before dark. Home. Where I lived wasn't really my home, but I've come to think of it that way. The only thing I can call mine was my clothes and even they were uncomfortable from their current washing in salt water.

The streetlights never came on like they usually do, like everyone expected them to. Now days, the worst happened, so kids were pretty used to a good future turning them over to the darkness of night. Evil was all around us, stirring, waking for the first time in who knows how long. It could be worse, though.

Everybody could be dead or overrun by the Darkness, the creature that lived in an abandoned mine. The one we thought Caine had killed. Needless to say, the Darkness doesn't give up that easily. It sent Nerezza to Perdido Beach to try to finish us off by putting humans under the it's command.

Things were harsh but they could be a lot worse, so I'm trying my best not to complain. Even though you can only take so much of fish and a can of slimy stuff. I don't know when the FAYZ will end or if it ever will, but I'm not going to go down without a fight. I don't really see how anyone could if they had a chance to survive and fight another day.

Walking back to the house, I heard a moaning sound coming from one of the houses to the right of me. Pulling my gun into my hands, I stumbled forward. The moaning grew more intense with every step. There was a window and I peered through it.

A little boy at least five years old was sitting in the middle of the floor, rocking back and forth while moaning the whole time. I went to the door and knocked. When there was no answer I shoved my way in by using the end of my gun. The little kid was not in the middle of the floor now, so I figured he was hiding.

"Hello?" There was no answer so I tried again. "I already saw you so you might as well come out. I'm not going to hurt you." I heard a sniffling noise in a cabinet door in the kitchen. My hand touched the handle and I opened it gently. The little kid barreled out of there like a rocket and I had to jump to catch him.

"Let me go!" The boy yelled murderously. "Let me go! Will! Help! Will!"

I turned him to me, "Hey, it's all right. Calm down, kid. I told you before I'm not going to hurt you. Just tell me what you're doing here."

The boy calmed down a bit, "He said he would be back. He said he would come and get me."

"Who?"

"Aidan." The boy sat down. "He hasn't come back. He said he would be back."

I started to back track, "Okay, it's going to be all right. Who is Will?" Unfortunately, I didn't get an answer. The little boy was just shaking his head continuously as if he was disagreeing with everything I said. "What is your name, kid?"

"Daniel." The little boy replied.

"Okay, Daniel. Come with me and I'll take you somewhere safe. How old are you?" I asked as I stood up and now I was looking down at a very small boy.

"I'll be five in a few days." Daniel stuttered.

"How old was Aidan?"

"He was almost fifteen when he left. He said he had to take care of something and for me not to go outside." The boy rose to his feet. "He said it was bad outside and he'll be back soon."

"Come on. Follow me and I'll take you somewhere safe and get you something to eat." I said. Daniel's eyes lighted up at that. From the looks of him, he hadn't ate in nearly a week. The boy followed me out the door as I was lost in thoughts. I didn't know what I was going to do with this kid. The way the daycare was going right now, food was very scarce and was barely enough to feed the littles.

So the daycare was ruled out. The only thing that would work now would be to put Daniel in an older kid's house. It couldn't be me, for I would be gone all the time and there was nobody else in the house to watch the kid. Sighing, I came to my conclusion. Sam would have to deal with this even though he would most likely be in a bad mood after the meeting today.

"Where are we going? Are we there yet?" Daniel asked every two minutes as he walked beside me. Every time I would say 'no' or 'not yet'. The kid was a bundle of energy that would not end.

Night came over the FAYZ quickly. Daniel finally grabbed my hand after saying he was afraid of the dark, I couldn't blame him, I'm sure I was afraid when I was little. So I led him through town and to Astrid's house. I knocked a few times and waited.

Astrid answered the door. She was in a gown and her hair went past her shoulders, her eyes examining everything that was before them. "Edilio? What are you doing here at this time of night?" She looked down at the figure standing behind my legs. "Who is that with you?"

"Well, all I can say is 'Houston, we have a problem'. Not one that can't be resolved though, but it'll take some time to go over and decide. Can we come in?" I looked at her then back at Daniel who was still hiding.

"Sure, but you have to be quiet. Little Pete is asleep." She stepped aside and let us pass. I murmured 'thanks' and went to the kitchen. Astrid disappeared upstairs and I waited patiently for her return. When she came back, Sam was hard on her heels.

He looked at me then what was behind my legs. "Well, Edilio. What is it? Who's that?"

I tried to step aside to let Daniel in his view but the kid went right with me. "I was walking through town and I found this boy, Daniel. He said he was waiting for a boy called Aidan to come back, but he didn't return. From what Daniel told me, Aidan was getting ready to turn fifteen when he left. So he was left alone."

Sam and Astrid looked at me, confused. "Why didn't you take him to the daycare?" They both asked in unison.

"The littles barely have enough food as it is. Another stomach to feed would have been really harsh on them. I was just thinking we should move him into a household where an older kid could watch him." I replied, wondering if my idea was a good one.

"Okay, so you're wanting to-" Sam was cut of by Taylor bouncing in.

"There is a bad fight at McDonalds, Albert told me to get you." She looked at all of us and just shrugged, not asking questions.

"All right. Taylor, bounce over, tell Albert I'm coming." Sam nodded at her, signaling for her to go. She gave a salute and 'bounced' out of the room. "Edilio, come with me. Astrid, watch Daniel."

I nodded and went after Sam who was already out the door. We scrambled into a truck parked outside and drove off to McDonalds. "What do you think it is over this time?" Sam asked.

"I don't know, but either way it can't be good." I concentrated on the road ready for something to run out in front of me. I could see McDonalds in the distance now. A lot of people were crowded around, watching and joining something that was happening in the center of all the turmoil. I stopped the truck a few feet away and jumped out, bringing my gun around to hold in my hands.

Taylor stood in front of us. "It's a fight. Not too bad though. You remember that guy that was at the meeting today, the one who was arguing with everybody there?" Taylor looked at Sam who was nodding his head for her to continue.

"Well, it's him and some other dude. Quinn tried to step in but got hit with a baseball bat, that was what happened before I bounced over here." Taylor winked at Sam. "Don't worry Sam, I'm sure Quinn can handle it."

"Yeah, right. Quinn can't even handle boredom." Sam replied then looked at me. "Come on, we got to check this out."


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: What's Going On?**

**Quinn's POV**

McDonalds was not a good place to be at right now. There was a pretty good fight going on right outside the doors. I had been talking to Albert when we heard kids screaming and saw them in a group, huddled around the fighting kids. Once we got outside, the sound of yelling kids could have busted our eardrums.

"What's going on?" Albert asked a boy at the back of the crowd.

"Fight, man. I wish I had a video camera." The boy went on watching the entertainment.

Albert saw Taylor and beckoned her over, "Taylor. Go get Sam or Edilio. Now." Taylor nodded and followed his orders.

"I'm going to get a closer look, Taylor won't get back with them in time." I said and made my way through the crowd. When I finally saw the fight, I knew it was a bad one. A kid, the boy that had argued with me earlier, clutched a baseball bat in his hands. The other was defenseless as he tried to escape the vicious blows.

Anger coursed through my body like a tidal wave. There was enough fighting going on in the FAYZ and I was tired of it. Enough of the bloodshed I have seen numerous times, it was time for this to end. Needless to say, I didn't know what I was getting myself into.

I stepped forward and faced the boy with the baseball bat, "Enough." I said as calmly as I could. "What the heck do you think you're doing? Can't you see the damage you have done?"

"Get out of my way! Those mutant freaks just use you, Quinn. Why don't you just give up and accept the fact that they are just using you?" The boy waved his bat in the air threateningly. "I'm not listening to them. I don't listen to anybody!"

"And look where it's got you." I muttered under my breath. "Look, you don't want things worse than what they already are, so I suggest you leave."

"I'm not leaving!" The boy exclaimed. "If anybody leaves, it's either you or that boy right there!" I saw the bat go through the air, but I couldn't dodge it. Out of the corner of my eyes, Taylor stood there and then she was gone. I fell down with the force of the blow. The boy walked toward his victim and raised his bat in the air.

"Don't move."

I shook my head, trying to clear it as I tried to pinpoint where the voice came from. Sam stood there with Edilio standing a little way behind him. "Put the bat down." Sam said, but I couldn't make out the words. My head was hurting horribly, the pounding going along with my pulse and the raised voices weren't helping either.

The wave of anger came back and I growled deep inside, trying to resist the outburst that was about to come. The crowd parted as I saw Sam raise his hands and said something to the boy in front of him. Finally the boy turned around and left, saying something else over his shoulder.

_Thank goodness. that's over now._ I thought as I rose to my knees, rubbing the spot where the bat hit.

"You okay?" Albert was in front of me. The wave of anger was slowly fading and I could finally make out people's words again. "Quinn, you alright?"

I rubbed my head and stood up, "Yeah."

"Taylor," Sam said, but he was talking to air. "Her and Breeze are so much alike. Neither one of them stick around long enough to hear anything." Then he turned to Albert and me, "What was that about?"

"I don't know man, but that kid has some problems." Albert said. "The fight just happened. We don't know what caused it. Well, I know what happened when Quinn was hit, but that's all. And what he told you." Albert looked kind of worried.

"What are you talking about?" I asked, confused.

"That kid threatened to kill everybody here." Edilio answered.

I looked at all of them, "Well then, I'll be one of the most wanted."

"What about that kid? He's a nuisance if I've ever saw one." Albert questioned.

"I don't know." Sam replied.

The anger was welling up inside of me again. I doubled over clutching my stomach as sharp pains ripped through it like a lion tearing up its prey. The air was ripped from my lungs and I tried to draw a breath in. I felt like I was drowning on nothing. The only sensation was the pain in my gut.

Somebody said my name but I was in too much agony to pay attention. I went to my knees still holding my stomach and struggling for breath. I felt a hand on my shoulder, another question was heard, but I didn't answer. Then someone grabbed my shoulder and pulled me to my feet. I closed my eyes, wanting this pain to go away, begging for it to end.

I was in the back of a truck now and the pain intensified by each passing second. I opened my eyes and saw Edilio driving with Sam in the passenger seat. The pain was unbearable and I closed my eyes again, wanting this torture to stop. _When will it?_ I thought.

Sam and Edilio pulled me out of the truck, dragging me to Astrid's house. The pain was fading now and I groaned, finally able to breathe a bit normally. We entered and they put me on the couch. "What's happening?" I asked before another wave of pain engulfed me. "Why am I like this?"

"Quinn, be still." I heard Astrid command. I felt her hand on my forehead, "There's no fever. I don't understand…" There was a moment of silence before another pain came and I started moving to try to relieve myself of this torture. "Sam, I need to talk to you." Astrid walked to the kitchen with Sam following after a seconds hesitation.

**Sam's POV**

"Sam, what happened before Quinn started having that pain?" Astrid asked as I walked into the kitchen.

"Some kid hit him with a baseball bat in the head. Astrid, I honestly don't know anymore than you do. You think it's some sickness don't you?" I looked back at the living room. "He was once my best friend, my only friend. I trusted him and he betrayed me to Caine. Now, I don't know if I care about him or not, but something is worrying me." I put my hands on my head, then said, "I don't know what to do or think anymore."

Astrid walked over and hugged me, putting her head on my shoulder, "It's hard to forgive and forget. The way things are going right now, nobody knows who to trust. I think Quinn wants you to trust him again and is trying to figure out a way to prove it."

"I gave him a lot of chances. If he messes this one up, I don't think I'll ever trust him." I felt her pull away and she looked at the doorway where Edilio stood.

"I'm not interrupting anything am I?" He asked. "Anyway, did you guys feel the ground shake?"

"Ground shake? You mean like an earthquake?" I asked.

"Yeah." Edilio looked at the floor, "Must have been my imagination."

"What's going on?" Daniel asked. "Who is that on the couch?"

I looked at the kid who was asking questions. I looked at Astrid and she shrugged and said, "It's your choice Sam." Then she walked to the living room.

_Is this the right decision?_ I asked myself, then shook my head. _You can't live in the past, Sam._ Daniel was still in front of me with a puzzled look on his face, waiting for an answer to his questions.

**Quinn's POV**

The pain finally left but I lay there for a moment trying to figure out what caused it. Without coming up with an answer, I sat up. Astrid walked in right then. She walked over to me and sat down beside me.

"How long was I like that?" I asked.

"A good ten or fifteen minutes. You feeling better?" She looked at me, curiosity shining on her face.

I nodded my head, "Yeah, it just…left."

"Do you know what caused it?" She asked me.

"No." Then I rose to my feet, "Do you have any idea what caused it?" She shook her head. I sighed then walked to the kitchen where I heard voices. I stood in the hallway with Astrid beside me. She walked to the door and I followed behind her.

There was a kid standing in front of Sam then he looked at me, "Who is that?" He asked Sam.

Sam looked at me than back to the boy, "That is who you are going to be living with until I figure out what to do."

I was shocked, "What? I can't. I have to fish, I don't have time to watch a kid."

"You are going to quit fishing for a while, Quinn. It's just temporary until I figure out what to do with him. The daycare is full, Astrid takes care of Little Pete, and I don't know what else to do." Sam looked at the boy then back at me, "His name is Daniel. Edilio found him today alone with nobody watching him. I'm leaving you as his temporary guardian."

"Sam, I don't know how to take care of a kid." I said.

"Then you're going to find out." Sam replied. "I guess you're feeling better, now."

"Yeah, I was thinking about going home." I could tell he was wanting to change the subject.

"Go on. Take Daniel with you and take care of him." Sam looked at the boy, "Go with Quinn." The boy obeyed and walked over beside me. Sam nodded and I went on my way, wondering why Sam left me with a kid to care of. What was the FAYZ coming to these days.

The kid, Daniel, still followed me as I walked home. Now, I wished this whole thing was a dream. _It's a dream I can't wake up from._ _Why did Sam make me take care of this kid anyway? Why not somebody else, anybody else._ Darkness was all around and I felt a hand grasp my hand, holding tight. I jumped, not expecting somebody to grab my hand.

"I'm afraid of the dark." Daniel looked up at me with sad eyes.

"You don't have to be afraid of the dark, just be afraid of what's in it." I replied. "There's a lot of stuff going on now. Dangerous stuff."

"I know. Will and Aidan told me everything."

"Who is Will and Aidan?" I asked.

"The two kids who were taking care of me. Aidan left and didn't come back, he lied to me. Will didn't want me, but Aidan made him be nice to me." Daniel continued walking, gasping for breath since we had been walking for a while.

"Everything will get better. Things can't be this way forever." I said, not really knowing what to say to a kid way younger than me.

"How do I know you're not lying to me?" Daniel asked.

_Good question._ I didn't say anything though, but I kept walking. _I don't even believe myself. I'm nothing but a fisherman here. The only reason I am still here and alive is because of Sam and I betrayed him. Maybe that kid at the meeting was right. Maybe Sam did let me stay just because I used to be his friend. Now, I don't know what I am to him, probably nothing._

Grief clawed at my heart as I came to realize what a mess I was in. Nobody trusted me, not even a kid who didn't know anything about me. Daniel started walking slower and slower. I stopped and looked down at him. His eyes were half closed, it was obvious the kid was exhausted. "You okay?" I asked the kid.

He muttered something and I took it as a 'no'. I tried to get him to walk again, but I was only dragging him. I sighed and picked him up in my arms. The kid was very light and I had no trouble carrying him. A few minutes later, I arrived home.

Daniel was asleep and I carried him to the bedroom. I put him on the bed and put a blanket over him, the kid shifted a little but didn't wake. Silently, my feet carried me to the kitchen where I found some water and drank it. Then I went to the living room and got on the couch allowing sleep to overtake me. Then the nightmare started.

_I was standing on a cliff overlooking the town, which was consumed in flames. The wind carried the screams of the victims, horrible screams of fear and pain. The ocean wasn't flat like it has been for months. Waves at least thirty feet crashed down on the town, putting out some of the fires._

_The was a whooshing sound behind me and I turned around. "Breeze." I said as the young girl stared at me. "What's happening?"_

"_The Darkness has taken over." She took in a shuddering breath, "Things are bad. The Darkness is winning, Quinn. We need all the help we can get."_

"_I can't go down there." I looked back at the blazing town. "Who's fighting?"_

"_Everybody, Even a five year old." She grabbed my arm, "Please, Quinn. Do what your heart is telling you."_

"_It's telling me to stay right here, Breeze." I pulled my arm away from her. "I'm sorry." She looked at me with a pained expression then backed away from me. "Coward." She hissed and crumpled to the ground._

"_Breeze!" I ran over to her. She looked at me with tears in her eyes._

"_Coward." She whispered over and over. Green spots appeared on her skin. Then there was no sound coming from her. Not a breath or a hurtful comment that was the truth. I hung my head then looked back at the town. The screams were no longer heard, there was only the sound of me breathing._

_I walked over to the cliff and looked at the town. The fires were still raging and the sea still moving. In the distance, I saw an explosion. My eardrums felt like they were going to burst. Fragments and flames flew at me, but I stayed where I was. I was alone so there was no point in fighting anymore. I let the debris shower down on me._

My eyes shot open. I had fell off the couch right when the debris in my dream had struck me. Relaxing was impossible right now, even though it was only a nightmare. _Only a dream._ I rose to my feet and stretched.

The sun was shining through the windows and for a moment I thought I was late for work. Then I remembered the job Sam had had left me with. Today was the first day of taking care of a kid. There was a noise from the guest bedroom and the kid, Daniel, walked out.

"Sleep good?" I asked, just trying to get him to talk. Daniel nodded and walked over to the kitchen. "Are you hungry?" I asked and walked over as he nodded. I gave him a bit of fish and a can of green stuff that looked unappetizing. "It's not good stuff, but it's better than starving to death." Daniel just started eating.

"Do you want to go for a walk today?" I asked since I needed to go see how the fishing crew was doing. Daniel looked up at me and nodded.

"I want to see Aidan." He told me.

"I don't know where Aidan is." I admitted, "But we'll take a walk through town to see if we can find him." Daniel smiled and ate faster now. I could understand he was excited, but if we didn't find this Aidan dude, the kid would shatter into pieces. The nightmare was still with me, making me loose my appetite.

Daniel finished quickly and jumped to his feet. "Can we go now?"

I shrugged, the kid had a lot of energy. "If you're up to it." Before I finished the kid was already at the door. "Wait up. I don't want Sam on my case if I loose you." I pulled on some shoes and unlocked the door. Daniel shot out onto the porch looking at me, his eyes telling me to hurry up. I walked out the door and stood beside him, but it wasn't long before the kid started to take off running.

Unfortunately, Daniel didn't stop so I had to pursue him. For a small kid he was pretty fast. The wind raced across my face as I ran after the kid I was supposed to take care of._ This just might be easier than I thought._ My thought surprised me as I shook my head. _You can't take care of a kid! You idiot! What was Sam thinking?_

Daniel laughed as I tripped and stumbled onto the pavement, rolling as I went. The young laugh broke something inside me and I started laughing, too. _At least I won't be alone for a while. Daniel needs me… and I need him._

**Astrid's POV**

Sam was pacing around on the porch, coughing his head off. A sickness was going around and without Lana, the civilians of Perdido Beach were doomed to a lot of suffering. Nobody knows where The Healer went, but we needed her. The sickness was going to spread, become a plague, probably even mutate.

I went upstairs to check on Little Pete, who was in something like a coma. He would eat, sleep, and use the toilet, but that was it. He would respond to nothing I say or even speak, scream or cry. His door was closed and I opened it then took a look inside. Little Pete was asleep, laying on his side snoring softly.

There was the sound of footsteps on the stairs as Sam came up. He looked at me and smiled, then pointed to his room. I nodded, knowing he needed rest if he was going to get better. Sam continued on toward his room and closed the door silently. I walked back downstairs and went outside on the porch.

Lawn chairs was set up on the porch and I sat down in one of them. Memories came flooding back about my mom and dad. How we would all sit on the porch when Pete was asleep and just talk away. Usually about the kind of day we had or dad would talk about how the night sky was so close but beyond our reach. Meaning we could see it and feel like we can reach up a hand and touch the very stars, when really it was miles away from our grasp.

There was a loud rumble from down the street. It took me a moment to realize it was a car engine. A moment later I saw a red car propelling itself to the beach, where Mary poofed. I was shocked for a moment. The car was sill heading in the same direction and I figured the person in the seat was planning on driving off the cliff.

"Sam!" I yelled and ran in the house. He was there in a few seconds, looking at me with a confused look on his face. "Red car is driving toward the cliffs not stopping."

"Okay, we need Dekka." He said. But Dekka could be anywhere in Perdido Beach, we didn't have time to find her. The figure that was driving the car was most likely going to die.

**Edilio's POV**

Walking along the cliffs was comforting, until you figured out that you couldn't really go anywhere. The FAYZ wall stopped that, kept everyone prisoner here. I knew one thing, all the prisoners wanted out. They would do anything to do it.

Once I heard the engine, I knew something was wrong. A red car formed in the distance with the sun glaring off the front. The machine was not stopping. For a moment I wondered if it was out of control, but when I saw the hunched figure through the windshield, I knew it was going to be a deliberate crash.

I froze for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. I wasn't like Caine or Dekka, I couldn't stop the car with my powers. I was only human. A normal living in a world gone mad. As for the car, it was still speeding faster to the cliffs. It's engine screamed in my ears like a monster pursuing me.

Everything slowed down. The car was still going for its suicidal attempt. Without thinking, I pulled my gun up and aimed. My movements were normal, but my surroundings was going super slow. The gun bucked in my hands as my finger pulled the trigger.

The front tire exploded and the car started to turn until it was screeching to a halt. I shot the other front tire to make sure the machine wasn't going anywhere. Time sped up and the kid hit the brakes. My feet carried me over to the driver side. I looked in and saw a kid about thirteen at the wheel, "Get out." I commanded. The kid obeyed and stepped out.

"What in the world were you thinking?" I asked.

The kid looked at me and smiled, "I just don't want to stay here any longer. There's too much madness."

I grabbed the kid by the shoulder, "That doesn't mean you need to try to kill yourself. We'll get by this."

"It's already been months! It's never going to end! We. Are. Going. To. Die here!" The kid protested.

Sighing, I looked the kid straight in the eyes. "We have all been through a lot. Too much. However, you can not try to kill yourself. One day this will end. Whether we all die trying to survive or we wait for the FAYZ barrier to go down. Either way, you have to go through the hardships."

"Death is a lot quicker, though." The boy said.

I took a step back. "You're right death is a lot quicker." I held my gun in my right hand then put the barrel at my head.

"What are you doing?" The kid asked. Horror spreading across his face.

"Ending it. Like you said, death is quicker." I tightened my finger on the trigger.

The boy fell to his knees, "Don't. Please."

I glared at him, "Why not? You just said it's easier to die. You've convinced me." The boy looked at me with tears running down his face. He kept whispering the word 'please'. Finally, I said, "I'll make you a deal. I won't shoot if you promise not to try to kill yourself again. Deal?"

The kid was sobbing now, but he nodded his head. He choked out, "Deal."

I nodded and brought the gun away from my head. "Okay, now leave. Go back home." The boy rose to his feet and ran off. I turned around and saw Taylor standing there with her mouth open. "What?" I asked her.

"You… the gun… What was that all about?" She stammered.

I walked over to her, "I wasn't going to do it. I was just trying to convince the kid not to try a stupid stunt like that again. You actually thought I was serious?"

"Yes." She hit me on the chest, "You idiot! I thought you were going to die I was about ready to bounce over there and take the gun away from you!"

I shook my head, "Well, now that the problem is cleared up, I guess I'll be going home."

"Oh no, I'm telling Sam your little stunt. He wanted me to tell him if I stopped the kid or not anyway." Taylor glanced at me, "See you at Sam's. If you don't come, I'll come after you."

"Fine, Taylor. I'll go. I need to tell him something anyway. See you there." I started to walk to Astrid's. Taylor was gone as I looked back. My mind replayed what happened just now. Time had slowed down. I had felt the power rushing from me. There was no point denying it. My brain said I was a mutant, but in my heart I didn't want to believe it. I still wanted to be a normal. Just me, but I guess I never was normal. I am a soldier with powers now. It was something nobody can overlook… Something I can't overlook.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: Social Life**

**Sam's POV**

I was waiting on Taylor to return with bad news. Something I heard a lot of lately. Sitting down, I ran my hand through my hair as nerves ate me up. Astrid came over and laid her chin on my head. I grabbed her hand and she squeezed it in reassurance.

We were like that for about five minutes then I got up and popped my back. My eyes looked around for any sign of Taylor, but they saw nothing other than the surroundings. I leaned against the railing of the porch with my head hung down in defeat.

Hands wrapped around my chest and I felt Astrid's warm breath against my shirt. "Relax, Sam."

"How can I, Astrid? Knowing someone is probably dead or dying right now. I fell so helpless." I turned around and faced her. "My mind is like a mental counter. There are about three hundred kids here and I'm already subtracting one."

Astrid hugged me, "The only thing you can do is be you. Sam, you can't stop everything bad. Nobody can. The only thing we can do is hope Taylor got up there in time and stopped it."

I knew she was right, so I kissed her on the cheek. Then, I turned back toward the railing and waited. I didn't have to wait too long after that. Taylor appeared right in the yard. I straightened up as Taylor looked around. "Taylor."

She turned to me, "Sam, Astrid."

"Well?" I asked.

"There was no accident. It was stopped." Taylor reported.

I sighed in relief, "Thank goodness. Good job, Taylor." My tensed muscles slacked a bit.

Taylor bounced onto the porch, "It's not me you should think. It was all Edilio. The kid sure knows how to handle a suicide situation."

"What do you mean?" Astrid asked. Looking at Taylor in confusion. I looked at my girlfriend closely. She looked so beautiful with a look of confusion. Any look really, but this one beat them all.

"Edilio shot the car's front tires. He made the kid get out and asked him what he was doing. The kid said that dying was easier than living in the FAYZ…" Taylor shuddered at the memory.

"Then?" I urged her on.

"Edilio put his gun to his own head…" Taylor was cut off.

"What!" Astrid and I said in unison. "What was he thinking? He didn't shoot himself did he?"

"Well, here he comes right now. That answers your last question." Taylor replied, then waved Edilio who was walking calmly to the porch.

I jumped over the railing and walked over to him, "What were you thinking! Why did you of all people threaten to kill yourself!" I was so mad I wanted to hit him, but that wouldn't help matters.

"I was just pretending, Sam. No way I would kill myself, you of all people should know that. Besides, it worked didn't it? The kid still lived." Edilio stood his ground.

I turned and started to walk away. Edilio grabbed my shoulder hard and refused to let go when I tried to jerk away. "Let go!" I yelled at him then turned around and shoved him backward. Astrid was still standing on the porch with Taylor, both of them sharing worried glances. "Edilio, if you ever pull a stunt like that again I'll kill you myself!"

"Sam, I -" Edilio started but I cut him off when I raised my hand up to his forehead. A greenish white light was glowing in my palm. "Go home." I warned. Edilio didn't move. He just stood there looking me right in the eyes, waiting to see what I would do, ready for what I wanted to do.

Astrid walked over to me, "Sam." She didn't touch me but stood at my side, looking at me with her startling eyes. I looked at her then back at Edilio, who was still standing there with his hands at his sides. The anger lifted from my shoulders and I put my palm down.

"Do not try anything like that again, Edilio." I said in a threatening voice.

He nodded, "I won't. I promise."

I nodded then headed back for the house. Astrid followed me inside, leaving Taylor and Edilio outside. I didn't know what to say or how to explain my actions. The one thing I knew was that I was tired of being 'the boss'. Even though I knew I couldn't run away from my job, the thought of running still lingered, begging me to take action. I was not under control.

**Edilio's POV**

Sam and Astrid walked back to the house leaving me and Taylor dumbfounded in the front yard. We both looked at each other for a moment, as if asking silently if that really happened. If Sam just had an outburst or if it was just our imagination.

Taylor finally broke the silence, "Did Sam just-"

I cut her off, "Yeah." Then, I turned around and started walking. Taylor didn't say anything. When I looked back she was gone. My eyes went back to the road I was walking along. My mind wondered what happened and what was going to come.

There were more kids out now, but they all carried weapons either in their pockets or hands. A group glared at me as if I was going to murder them in cold-blood, and for a second I wondered if that was really what they thought of me as. A cold-blooded killer.

My heart became heavy at that thought. I didn't want to turn into a guy people called murderous. Like all the kids in the FAYZ, I just wanted peace to come. However, my mind had a lingering thought. _Peace won't come in a place like this. A world gone mad…_

The daycare started to loom in front of me, a reminder of how far I've walked by it and how many battles the littles saw. That bothered everybody who was old enough to understand in the FAYZ. Once the littles grew up a bit more, they will start experiencing more of the brutal life they live. Once most of the older kids are dead, the littles will have to take our place. It was something nobody wanted to happen.

Looking at the building made my grief and rage overpowering. The need to strike out at someone, something, was so great I almost committed to the action. I stopped myself knowing that the anger and grief would not solve anything. It would just make things worse, for me and the inhabitants of this messed up world.

I ran my hand through my hair, calming down. For right now everybody was safe, something to be thankful for in this life. That was all we could ask for, pray for, and beg for. The way the world is now… I'm really starting to think about leaving soon.

_No you're not! You promised Sam you would stick by his side. What's the point in a broken promise? _I shook my head and continued my walk, not really knowing where my feet were leading me. The only thing ahead was death, destruction or hopefully… an end to all of this.

**Quinn's POV**

It wasn't too hard to take care of Daniel. The only thing I had to do was remember to feed him and make sure he wasn't lonely. Now, the small kid was sitting across the table from me eating a can of some sort of beans with stringy stuff. Two weeks had passed since Sam told me I had to take care of him and I wasn't regretting it.

Daniel ate his meal in silence until he was finished. Then the game of twenty questions started. I grinned and told him the answers to everything he asked. For a five-year-old, he actually made sense with his questions. Where most kids stuttered, Daniel talked like it was too easy.

His birthday was two days ago, even though the kid 'forgot' to tell me. I felt rotten for not asking him sooner. I was taking care of him, so I should have asked him Now I was going to make up for it.

John was going to take the littles down to the beach. Not where Mary jumped, but a little way below that. It was a good thing, the littles should have a chance to have fun and run around a bit. Since Daniel was five, John said it would be all right for him to go.

I looked at him, "Come on. Get your shoes on."

Immediately, the kid jumped up, "Where are we going?" He ran over the door and pulled on his shoes. "Are you coming?"

Walking over to the door, I laughed. "I could be taking to a boring place and you would still be excited." My shoes were already on as Daniel glanced at my feet. As fast as lightning, he bolted out the door.

Sometimes I didn't understand the kid. He was so prepared for everything it scared me. I wasn't as prepared as this kid was and I'm fifteen-years-old. I walked out the door and headed to the beach, "It's this way. You up for a walk?"

Daniel nodded and we started walking. He didn't ask anymore questions, but I tried to keep him in a conversation to make the time seem to pass quickly. The kid was telling me about his mom, dad, and older brother. He even told me about Aidan and Will.

I just let him talk about whatever he wanted, it didn't bother me to listen. We walked for a while before we arrived at the beach which was infested with little kids. Daniel looked at me then at the beach. "What's going on?"

"You're going to meet new kids. Make some friends." I replied. Daniel just stared at the kids.

"If I go down there, will you teach me how to surf?" He asked.

A pang of pain went through my chest. Surfing was one of the things I lost with the FAYZ and I missed it dearly. I grinned at him, "Whenever we get some waves I'll teach you."

Daniel nodded and we both headed toward the group. John and a few of his helpers were supervising and talking to each other, so I headed over to them. I looked to see if Daniel was still following me, but then I saw the little girl leading him away. Her hand in his, basically dragging him to the other kids who were playing a game of tag.

I sat down on the sand next to John, "Hey, John. Thanks for letting him come, he needed to hang out with kids his own age."

John shrugged, "Not a problem. He's energetic isn't he?" Nodding at Daniel who was now running around with the others.

"Yeah," I replied. Watching Daniel was reassuring in a way. After all the kid has been through, he still stood his ground and made the best of life.

One of John's helpers said, "Hey, Quinn. What does it feel like to take care of a little kid?"

Looking at the teen I replied, "It's better than what you may think. After all, I didn't really have a choice." I looked back at the kids, "Now, I don't regret what Sam told me to do."

The littles got in a circle, talking. We all got a confused look on our face. "What are they doing?" One teen asked as the kids glanced at us. A few seconds passed before they all started running toward us. A small boy was yelling the word 'attack'.

"Did that one kid just say 'attack'?" John asked.

I guess he did, because the next minute I was on my back in the sand with all kinds of littles scrambling over me. I guess the other teens got the same treatment, because there was only four kids 'attacking' me.

Laughter filled the air from both teens and littles. This lasted for about ten minutes until the littles ran off screaming 'tag you're it'. Daniel glanced at me and I motioned for him to go on and join the group. He ran off into the herd of kids.

I looked at John and the others who were spitting sand out of their mouth, laughing at the sight of each other. Sand was in my hair and I shook hard to get it out, but it didn't work. I looked at my sand covered shorts and shirt.

We all looked at each other and I shrugged, "Why not? That was probably a message to get off our butts." I pulled my shirt off, threw it down in the sand, and took off running to the silent ocean. The others were a few feet behind me and I looked at the kids' confused faces.

The water was cool as my feet hit the surface. A sharp pain went through my gut and I figured it was just the shock of the water. I hadn't been in the ocean for months. The littles were still looking at us like we were crazy. "You coming?" I asked. We were in a shallow part so one of the kids would not drown. The littles hesitated. Then Daniel came running with his shirt off and he bounded into the water. The littles still looked kind of worried as Daniel plunged under water.

When he surfaced, he looked at his friends. "Come on!" None of them came. They all had a look of horror on their face. I looked behind us and saw what the kids were seeing. A wave. A huge wave was hurtling toward the beach.

"Everybody run!" One of the teens yelled as he took off to the beach. The littles panicked and started to run to John who was yelling at them to run the other way. Daniel started to run with us, struggling to get through the thigh deep water. I grabbed him and followed behind John.

Taking a risk, I looked back at the thirty foot wave. That was when I noticed it wasn't very long in length. If everybody could get to the sides, they would be a bit safer. I raised my voice, "John! Get everybody to go left as fast as you can!"

He nodded and ushered the littles to the left. I made sure Daniel was in front of me in case he fell. Then I noticed a little girl fall to the sand. Daniel stopped and helped her up. The girl took off running a little way behind Daniel.

The wave was nearly on the beach now and I knew that Daniel and the girl would not make it in time. I could outrun them, but I wasn't going to. _Almost there. _The wave started to break and it hit the beach.

I lunged forward, hitting Daniel and the girl as the wave came upon us. The two kids were sent sprawling to the ground away from the force of the water. Landing next to them, I grabbed their arms and ran farther down the beach.

**Astrid's POV**

I could understand why Sam was mad at Edilio, I was myself, but I also knew this foul mood he was in wasn't going to help anything. Something was happening in Perdido Beach. Everybody in the FAYZ knows it, so does Sam.

The stress of all these situations was not helping the fifteen-year-old boy at all. Sam had to grow up quickly when he took charge and fought battles. His eyes were emotionless now, leaving the scars of a boy who was dealing with too much.

Edilio's stunt scared him. It had wounded him further and worse than the blows Drake had dealt a while back. I watched him as he set down on the couch with his head in his hands. His shoulders were slumped in the posture of defeat and resignation.

Trying to provide comfort, I sat down next to him and put an arm around his shoulders. Sam looked at me for a minute then looked at the floor. A few seconds passed before he raised his head.

A sad grin came across his face, "I'm becoming weak. A coward."

"You're not becoming weak and you're not a coward." I laid my head on his shoulder, "You can't prevent everything, Sam. What Edilio done was idiotic, but that's in the past now. You have to move forward. Everybody is alive and well, for now."

Sam groaned, "Did you have to say 'for now'? Those words aren't exactly comforting."

I looked at him, "Would you rather me tell you this the way I would a collage professor?"

"No. I wouldn't understand a word of it, but you can keep talking if it makes you happy. I'll be glad to listen." He finally pulled me into a hug, his arms around my waist. "I just don't understand why everything is like it is now. Kids have died and I wasn't there to protect them. Those graves outside are reminders of who I've failed to keep alive. It makes me really mad, Astrid, not being able to know how long this is going to last or when it ends. More kids are going to die… I just don't know what to do anymore. Give up and accept whatever is coming next or keep going until I die."

I pulled away from him and looked him in the eyes. "Sam, whatever happens, happens. You can't change what is meant to be."

He sighed, "I know, but right now…" Sam stood up and smiled at me, "I'm leaning toward my second choice. I'll keep going until I die"

**Daniel's POV**

The little girl in front of me fell to the sand and I helped her up. We started running again, but I made sure she was right behind me. The wave was nearing the beach every second that passed, but my only thought was to keep running. Everybody else was in front of us, farther from the huge wave.

Something hit me in the back and I thought it was the wave, but I wasn't wet. My breath was knocked out of me as the girl and Quinn landed next to me. With stunning speed, Quinn grabbed our arms and dragged us along without our feet touching the ground.

I heard the sound of water on the beach. My head turned around and my eyes saw a lot of water coming at us. The girl screamed as we began spinning around in a circle. _This is it, we're dead. _I thought when we started flying through the air.

When my back hit the sand, the breath was knocked out of me. A pair of arms wrapped around my waist and carried me away from the water. The little girl was crying as she hugged the shoulders of one of the daycare workers. They carried us to the others and gently set us on our feet.

Trying to regain my breath, I looked up and saw John looking down on me. My eyes glanced around for the one person I didn't see. "Quinn?" I asked to myself. John was too busy looking at the water to answer my question.

The water started going back in the ocean and I saw a figure lying against some rocks. "Quinn? Quinn?" My voice was getting caught in my throat. Slowly, the figure tried to get to his feet, but slumped down. I ran over to him. The old surfer looked the same, but with exhaustion and pain clouding his eyes.

He tried to get up again, but fell to the wet sand when he stood on his left foot. "Sprained or something." He said and looked at me, then he grinned. "I wish I known that wave was coming. I could have brought my board. That was the biggest wave I've ever seen."

I couldn't help but laugh. Quinn was okay, besides his broken ankle, and that was good. It was then when I realized how much I trusted my new guardian and didn't want to leave him. For right now, Aidan was in the past. It was time to move on and not dwell on what has already occurred.

The older kid took a breath and stood up, balancing on his right foot. He looked at the ocean and sighed, then looked at John and the others, who were staring at the now flat water. For a moment, I wondered how Quinn was going to get home with his broken ankle. Then, I walked until I found a lone stick that lay on the beach.

My plan was perfect. I gave the stick to Quinn and he used it like a cane, reminding me of Grandpa Riley. John walked over and asked if we were hurt. Which, in Quinn's case, was pretty obvious. Once we learned everybody was all right, we left the beach behind us and went to the house. Today was a hectic day and I hoped there wouldn't be another. Then, I figured I was just lying to myself.

**Sam's POV**

The talk with Astrid helped a bit. I wasn't going to give up and let other people fight these battles on their own, I was going to be right by their side. When Edilio told me what he had done, I broke down. I couldn't do that again, for the sake of my friends and the ones I was meant to lead. Although, I knew I couldn't do it alone.

Ever since the FAYZ came, there was tension in the town. Every second it grew until it became unbearable until you learned the way of this new life. It is hard to stay sane sometimes, but in the end you always manage to pull through. All of these kids today knew there would be hardships and they have accepted the fact that they could die any day.

I sighed and rose to my feet with my head pounding with every heartbeat. It had been a while since I left Quinn in charge of a little kid and I wanted to know how that was going. The sun was starting to set and a chill came through the air. A reminder of how cold everything will be.

Lost in thoughts, I ran into somebody. Coming back into reality, I saw a boy with long brown hair, grey eyes, and looked to be short-tempered. "Sorry." I mumbled, not wanting to get in a conversation.

The kid shrugged, "Whatever." Then the kid turned and walked off. He reminded me of Bug in a way and I wondered where the chameleon-kid was. Quinn's house wasn't too far away now, the house was small but large enough for two people.

I walked onto the porch and knocked on the door. A few seconds later, the kid answered and let me in. "How are you?" I asked him.

"Fine. Quinn's in the living room."

"Thanks." I followed Daniel into the living room where my old buddy was sitting on the couch with some bandages.

"Quinn, Sam's here." Daniel stated. It surprised me on how easy the kid spoke, usually five-year-olds stutter. Quinn looked over his shoulder and muttered a 'hey' and invited me in. I sat down in a recliner across from him, that was when I noticed what he was doing with the bandages.

I looked at him, "What happened?"

"It's broke or something." Then he grinned, "You should have seen the size of that wave! It was huge! The biggest wave I've ever seen in my entire life!"

"Wave?"

"Wave. Came right onto the beach. I couldn't get away in time and I broke my ankle. Man, I wish I had my board with me. That would have been some ride!" Quinn stopped grinning, "Although a broken ankle would hurt, it would still be worth surfing one more time."

I couldn't help but grin myself. Both of us missed surfing, but that came with the FAYZ. "Yeah. Another wave would be great when all of this is over."

Quinn sighed, "Sam, I'm still hoping for an end to this and it hasn't came yet. Everyday I tell myself nothing lasts forever and that's what I'm sticking to." He looked over at Daniel who muttered something about going to go to bed, then back to me. After Daniel left he said, "I guess you're not here to just talk, right."

I looked at him and admitted truthfully, "No I'm not."

"It's about Daniel, right?"

"Yeah. I found someone who would be glad to take him. Sarah, she had two little brothers. One of them died shortly after the FAYZ came. She said she would be glad to take Daniel and try to bring balance back into her and her brother's life." I looked at him, "We can take him there tomorrow."

I saw Quinn stiffen at the word 'tomorrow'. Then, his shoulders slumped and he said in a quiet voice, "Would it be better for everybody? If I let him go to the new guardian." His voice dripped sadness and for a moment I felt sorry for him.

There was a noise from the bedroom. Only then did I realize Daniel standing in the doorway, his eyes were filled with tears. "You're sending me away?"

"I-I…" Quinn stuttered and turned around.

"How can you do this to me? I trusted you!" Daniel yelled.

Quinn rose to his feet, ignoring the pain in his ankle, and started to walk toward the boy, but Daniel backed away and bolted to the back door. I jumped to my feet. Quinn ran after the boy. "Wait! Daniel, stop!"

It was too late. The young boy went through the glass and fell on the wooden porch. Shards of glass rained down on him. Cuts covered his arms and face.

Amazingly, Daniel stood up and ran again with a new burst of speed. Quinn was barefoot, but he ran across the glass and after Daniel. The boy soon disappeared in the distance and Quinn stopped running. His eyes never leaving the spot Daniel had gone.

I went over beside him and put my hand on his shoulder. He looked up at me with sad eyes and tried to stand up, but he fell to the ground. Astrid's house wasn't very far away and I figured my former friend should stay there for the night. I leaned down toward him and pulled him up with his arm over my shoulders. Then, we headed to Astrid's house.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: Guilt**

**Edilio's POV**

Even though it was nearing midnight, there was kids still roaming the streets. Having a group of kids was dangerous since most of them carried weapons and looked for battles to start. I always had my gun with me though and that most likely saved a lot of trouble. The more fights, the more deaths we have. We didn't need more bloodshed.

I had some kind of power, Sam is pissed off at me, and I feel… odd. Something is going to happen any day now, I can sense it.

_There's nothing you can do if anything happens except bear through it. _That one thought was the same as everyone's. The only thing we could do is get through this life. No matter how hard it became.

Then, I realized my thoughts were becoming my actions. It was my life and I wanted to live it the best way I could, but I didn't want to turn into the one thing I didn't want to be. A killer. Most of the kids are afraid of me… I didn't want that. From now on, I am going to think before I act. No matter what situation I was in.

There were two shapes at the end of the street. One of them was leaning over the other. Immediately, my heart sank. I rushed over and saw the boy laying on the ground, bleeding. The other kid was crying as he tried to find a pulse on his friend.

"He's dead… de-dead." The boy sobbed.

I bent down and tried to find a pulse in case the boy missed it. There wasn't one. "What happened?"

The boy looked at me, "I don't know. H- he was like this when I g- got here."

My heart was filled with sadness. The dead boy was probably just over the age of eleven. His friend was at least ten. I went to pick the dead boy-Tom- in my arms, but the younger boy shook his head and said, "I want to carry him."

There was nothing I could do for the kid, so I let him carry Tom. Every now and then he would trip and I had to catch him. The young boy stopped crying a while ago as we took the body to the plaza. I would have to start on a grave immediately, so I started once we got there.

Without enough gas to fill the bulldozer, I just grabbed a shovel and started digging. The sound of metal scraping earth was joined with another one. Looking over, I saw the young boy digging too. I knew I couldn't change his mind and his actions sent anger coursing through my body, so I dug even faster.

Hours later, we were done. The hole was deep enough and I laid the body in it. Putting a blanket over Tom, we started to shovel the dirt back in the hole. The younger boy looked at me once we were done and asked a question I would have never thought would have come out of a nine-year-olds mouth. "Can I join your army?"

For a moment I just stood there. Then, "No. You're to young."

"Please, Edilio! I have to do it for Tom's sake. Please."

I just shook my head, "It's too dangerous."

The boy looked at me with sad eyes. Flames of anger and determination burned the sadness away. "My name is Luke. I am nine years old and that grave holds the body of my best friend. Somebody did that to him and I will get my revenge whether you let me join or not!"

"Wait a minute, Luke. Fighting is not what you may think it is. Tom would not have wanted you to fight…"

I broke off when the boy started to cry. I put my hand on his shoulder, "Luke. Look at me." Luke brought up his head and met my eyes. "I will find whoever did that to Tom. I promise."

The young boy wiped away his tears and started to walk away. Then, he turned back. "Thank you." I just nodded in response and started to run down the street to the one house I hated the most.

I banged on the door, hard. "Orc! Howard! Let me in, now!" There was no answer and the door was locked. Without another option, I used the end of my gun to smash a window. I crawled in and put my feet on the floor quietly.

A potted plant was smashed on the carpet, the couch was broke right in the middle, the television was smashed. There was a struggle. I took in a breath and walked further in. Howard was lying on pieces of a broken chair. Orc was nowhere to be found. That was when I saw a hole in the wall, one that Orc had made.

I crouched next to Howard and shook him awake. "Howard. Hey, Howard."

A groan escaped from him, "Edilio? Brittney. Drake. Escaped. Traitor." His eyes started flickering.

"No, Howard. You need to stay awake. You could have a concussion." I looked to the basement door, "I'll be back." Standing up, I walked over to the door and down the stairs. Sure enough, Drake/Brittney wasn't there. There were only chains on the floor.

I cursed under my breath and headed back upstairs. That was when I saw Orc had returned. "Where did he go?" I asked.

"I don't know. He just disappeared." Orc replied.

"What?"

"It was like he 'poofed'. No flash of light, just gone in midair."

I looked down at the floor, "Come with me. We have to tell Sam. Right after we get Howard to Dahara."

I dreaded having to tell Sam bad news, especially when he was mad at me. Every word that comes out of my mouth seems to always be about bad news. It was something that couldn't be avoided though. We had to face it and find a way to make things better just like every kid has in the past. Just like we would do now.

The front door was unlocked, so I just knocked and Orc and I walked in without waiting for an answer. We found Astrid at the kitchen sink looking out the small window. "Sam here?" I asked her. She turned around, nodded, and pointed to the bathroom.

"He should be out any minute. That flu hit him hard." She said.

There was a nearby chair at the table and I sat down. "From what people say it is a bad ordeal. Jack said it left him feeling like crap after he was over it."

Silence lingered in the room momentarily, until Astrid broke it. "Why are you here, Edilio? What bad thing has happened now?"

Orc answered, "Drake escaped."

"What?" A voice said at the hallway. It was Sam. "I thought you were keeping guard to make sure he didn't get out!"

Trying to keep peace, I stood up. "Sam, there is a traitor running around here somewhere. That traitor was the one who let Drake go. They set him free."

Sam put a hand against the wall, his eyes closed tight as if thinking. "Do you know where he went?"

This time, Orc stepped forward. "We don't know. I tried to chase him, but he just disappeared into air."

"Who disappeared into air?" Quinn asked from the living room. His face was pale like he was on his deathbed.

"Drake." I replied simply.

Quinn's face went whiter than what it was. Then, he turned around and started to limp to the door. Astrid raced after him.

"No way. You are not leaving with an ankle that is dislocated in a lot of places." Astrid grabbed his shoulder and he spun around to face her, but continued to back to the door.

"Listen, Astrid. Daniel is out there somewhere! With Drake on the run, who knows what that psychopath will do! He could kill Daniel and it will be my fault!" I could hear Quinn yelling, his voice cracking.

Walking toward the them, I saw Astrid still holding Quinn's shoulder. Both of them were yelling now. Finally, Quinn growled but let his tense body relax and started cursing at his ankle. What happened next unnerved me. Quinn slung his foot against the wall. There was a loud crack as the bone went back in place.

A scream of pain erupted from the boy and he grabbed his ankle. Groaning in pain, Quinn put his full weight onto it. Astrid looked at him, "Why did you do that?"

He glanced up at her, "I have to find Daniel. I will find him even if it is the last thing I ever do. I was the one who drove him away." With that said, he turned around and ran out the door. For a moment, I thought about trying to get him to come back.

"Let him go." Sam said from behind me. Orc was at his side with a confused look on his face. "If anybody can find Daniel, Quinn can. He knows that kid better than we do after becoming his temporary guardian."

I looked at him, "Why did you let Quinn become the kid's guardian? Right after you put Daniel in Quinn's hands you found another guardian for him. Why couldn't you have found a more permanent guardian in the first place?"

Sam and Astrid looked at each other. Then, Astrid said, "It's personal."

Orc shuffled his feet, "Can we get out of this conversation and talk about how we are going to deal with Drake. After all, he is the main reason to all of this."

**Daniel's POV**

I continued to run through the streets. My heart was racing, but I ignored it and kept up the speed. The tears that slid down my face were long gone. Now… I knew nobody would ever care about me.

The one person I was starting to trust the most betrayed me. He pierced me in the heart with the words that came out of his mouth. The words I would never forget. The ones that disowned me.

'_New guardian.'_

My mind knew I did not want a new guardian. First, it was Aidan. Then, Will. Finally, Quinn. All of them abandoned me like I was a piece of garbage on the pavement.

Darkness was closing in and fear engulfed me at the thought of not being able to see. I chose an alleyway and sat down in it. Light did not shine here, the only think here was blackness and it came in different shapes.

Once, I saw a dog-like figure watching me as if deciding whether I was food or not. After squeezing my eyes shut and telling myself it was all a trick of the mind, I opened my eyes. The figure was not there anymore.

I sat there for what seemed like hours. My mind racing with the thought of what I was going to do now.

**Astrid's POV**

Anger clawed at my insides as I stormed upstairs. Sam was hard on my heels, attempting to calm me down. It didn't work though. After a brief check on Little Pete, I brushed past my boyfriend and went back downstairs.

Orc and Edilio had left just a few minutes ago so there were no witnesses to watch what was happening. Sam was still following, trying to get me to calm down. Finally, I had enough. Turning to face him seemed like the only solution.

With my face only an inch away from his, I started yelling horrible things at him. Stuff I did not mean to say. My voice became hoarse after a while, that was when I quit screaming at him. I walked over to the doorway and rested my head against the frame.

Tears were making my eyes sting, but they didn't fall. "Sam, why did we do that? Why did we give him up?"

Sam came over and put his arms around my waist. "We had to choose between the most powerful kid in the FAYZ or the least. You know that."

"He was my youngest brother, though. If we gave up Little Pete, then he would be here instead. If we didn't give up either one of them, both would be with us now." Astrid looked at Sam.

"Don't worry," Sam replied sadly. "I trust Quinn…"

I looked at him, "You trust him again? Since when?"

Sam looked at me, "Since he broke his ankle to save your younger brother and then headed out to look for him with Drake running around out there." He paused briefly, "That was when I started trusting him. I guess my old friend would make a pretty good guardian after all."

**Daniel's POV**

There is a shape over in the corner. It is holding a long sharp thing in it's hand. No, the thing it is holding is the entire arm. The thing continued to move involuntarily.

My back was still against the alleyway wall. Fear started to engulf me as the shadow with the weird arm began to move closer. Small whimpers started to escape from my mouth and I put my knees to my chin. I wanted to tell it not to hurt me, but I couldn't make a sound.

With the human hand, the creature reached out and grabbed my by the shirt, pulling me up. "Who are you?" It asked.

"D-Dan-Daniel." I stuttered in fear. "P-pl-plea-se. D-do-don't h-hurt me."

The weird arm stroked my cheek, "I won't hurt you, yet. Listen closely. I want you to go back to that fool of a guardian you are staying with. You will not breathe a word about this or I will make sure that is the last word you will ever say. You die if you talk about this. Got it?"

I nodded, nearly sobbing as I did. My whole body was shaking uncontrollably no matter how hard I tried to stop. The creature noticed.

"You don't like my Whip Hand do you?"

I shook my head.

"Good, then. If you talk about this… My Whip Hand will hurt you so much you will be wanting to die. You understand?"

I nodded. After a few heartbeats, the creature let me go. I slid down to the ground, keeping my eyes on the monster in front of me.

"Now go back to your guardian, Daniel."

In a few seconds, my feet was carrying me away from the dark alley and the creature in it. Terror was coursing through my veins as I ran to the only place I knew. The place I was told to run to.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Loose**

**Drake's POV**

The kid, Daniel, ran off after I let him go. Small kids were not important, but I needed him to spread terror around the town. Daniel would most likely tell Sam or whoever his guardian was that I was back. Everything was going according to plan. My next stop is one that I have been dreaming about for a while. Everyone was going to suffer, even the traitor that helped me out of that basement. As Daniel disappeared into the distance, I turned around and started my journey to Coates. The future was going to be bright… and bloody.

**Orc's POV**

At first, I thought I was drunk and hallucinating about everything. The whole thing with Drake has really left me confused. However, the things that confused me even more was why Quinn would go after a little kid and Sam not knowing what to do with Drake. My head started pounding with all the confusion and I knew I had not had a drink of beer since… well a while. None of this was a hallucination, it was real.

**Dahra's POV**

Rumors spread as fast as a raging fire. I was seeing people daily, so I knew most of the town's gossip. This time was the worst one though. The rumor that the cold-blooded killer Drake had escaped. At first, I did not want to believe it. Unfortunately, every patient that came was talking about the so called 'Great Escape'.

Nobody really knew what happened, but they hoped everything would turn out all right. A twelve- year- old kid was talking about it with me right now and I could tell she was scared to death of the rumors. Drake was a name that people feared and never forgot. A name that would send chills down your spine every time it was said.

I was wrapping up a large cut on the girl's arm with a piece of a shirt. It wasn't the healthiest thing in the world, but it was better than to let her bleed to death. The door opened and a teenager was carrying a small boy.

The sight of the young child made my stomach fly to my throat. He was bleeding from several places and had a lot of green scabs. Leaving the girl, I made my way over to a table and ordered the teenager to put the boy down. "What is his name?"

"Chris… I don't know what is wrong with him. I woke up this morning and he was like this." He gestured to the young boy. "Please. Do anything you have to do, just help him."

Ignoring the teen, I touched Chris's forehead which was fiery hot. "Fever." I took a closer look at the weird scabs and noticed they were oozing a dark green liquid. "How long has he had these?"

The teen shrugged, "He woke up like this… I didn't even know about it. He mentioned a stomach ache, but I figured it was from not being able to eat much…"

Nodding, I tried to figure out what was happening to the young boy. Suddenly, Chris opened his eyes as he drifted back to consciousness. "Derrick?" His weak voice made my heart sink.

"Chris? Hey, buddy. You are going to be all right." The teen said.

The boy groaned, "Hurts."

Derrick ruffled the boy's hair, "Everything will be all right soon. I promise."

Strangely, Chris laughed weakly. "I can see them. My mom and dad. They want me to come with them." The boy looked over at Derrick and the young boy tried to say something else, but the light faded from Chris's eyes and his body relaxed. I turned away from the motionless body lying peacefully on the table. Now, I was starting to regret taking up the responsibility that was given to me, but I knew I had to continue… for the sake of everybody.

**Edilio's POV**

As I was walking around town, I thought, _Wow my day has been awesome! Right… Drake is on the loose. Man, I dislike sarcasm. _I grinned to myself as I thought about how absurd that sounded. If the FAYZ wasn't here, I would be riding around in a golf cart or something to keep me entertained. Now, the only thing entertaining me was looking for a murderous psychopath. Every alleyway could conceal Drake and I was looking everywhere.

So far, I have covered most of the town. The Cliffside Hotel and most of the streets. Right now I figured Drake had either gone to the mine or is trying to command the coyotes. Even more disturbing was the thought of him coming back for another re-match. The only one who could face him without becoming sliced up was Orc and even he had a weakness.

There was a _whooshing _sound behind me. Turning around, gun ready, I saw Breeze with a sad look on her face.

I put the gun down, "What's the matter?"

"You need to find some shovels. I'll see you in the plaza." With that, she was gone. My heart sank into my gut. _Another dead. _I was sick of the job, but somebody had to do it. Sadly, my feet headed for the plaza where another grave was going to be dug.

**Brianna's POV**

The sight was gruesome. Never before had I seen anything like this before. The poor kid, Chris, had green-looking wounds all over him and died slowly. Whatever this was, it was new and deadly. After I went to Edilio, I returned to Dahra's and found her staring at a corner.

I walked over and shook her shoulder, "Dahra, you okay?"

Her tear-filled eyes told me the right answer. "I couldn't help him." She bowed her head in guilt then stood up quickly. "If Lana was here, she could have saved him! Instead, she's not here and I'm left to take care of everybody!"

My heart clenched at the thought of how bad Dahra was tore up about it. "You're not Lana. You can't expect to save every person who needs help…"

Dahra wiped tears from her eyes, then looked at me. "I'm just pitying myself, aren't I?"

"Yeah, pretty much, but I can understand why you are." Then, a thought appeared in my head. "I'll see you later." In a few seconds, I was at Astrid's house. Sam was just walking out the door when I appeared on the lawn.

"Breeze? What is it?"

I jumped to the point, "We need to find Lana. I know we've tried, but we need to look again. This plague or whatever it is will only get worse…"

"Look, Lana is gone. We have looked everywhere…"

"There are two more places we didn't dare go to, though."

Sam looked thoughtful, "The ranger station in the park." His eyes darkened, "Coates."

(Later that night)

Now that I was here, I was wondering what I was thinking. Lana going to Coates was like Pack Leader learning to fly._ If I see a flying coyote, I will die. However, anything is possible in the FAYZ. _My heart pounded as I heard a Coates kid walking past with a long knife in his hand.

Once he disappeared, I came out from behind the open door. That was when I heard a ruckus coming from down the hallway. Curious, I went to check it out.

"Best- now- Per- Beach- helple-n- ready-attack." I heard a voice say a few cut up words. Going closer, I was finally able to make out the words… and the people. Caine and Drake.

"So you're saying if we take out Perdido Beach, the plague will die?" Caine asked.

"Yes. Perdido Beach is the main source of both plagues." Drake replied.

"Both?"

Drake laughed, "The plague is two different things. One lives in the ground underneath the power plant. The other lived in the mine and had awaken when it collapsed."

"So, we have to destroy the power plant and the mine?"

"Yes. Also, I think you should get new guards."

"What are you talking about?"

I froze. Which was a mistake. Drake's Whip Hand grabbed my by the throat as it's owner pulled me into the room. The mutant arm squeezed. My head started to spin and black spot danced in front of my eyes. "Looks like you have a spy." That was the last thing I heard.

**Sam's POV**

"She should have been back already." Edilio commented. Once he had finished digging the grave, we told him the plan of thinking Lana was at Coates. Breeze had went in to try to find her, but wasn't back yet.

Worry filled my heart, "Let's give her some time."

"And if she doesn't come back?" John asked. "What then? Do we go after her? Sam, her and Taylor are vital to everything. Without both of them…"

Finally, I could not take it anymore. "Edilio. Go around and ask anybody you can think of to help invade Coates."

Edilio nodded and ran out on the street. I didn't want to invade Coates, but I was going to try anything to get Breeze and Lana back. _Just let them both be okay. _Footsteps ran on the porch. Turning around with my palm facing the threat, I saw who it was. "Daniel?"

The boy looked at me, "Where's Quinn?"

"I don't know. What is wrong?" I asked.

Daniel had a wild look in his eyes. There was only one thing I knew that could cause such distress. "You saw Drake. The kid with the bad arm, didn't you." It wasn't a question since I already knew the answer.

The boy nodded. "He said he would kill me if I told anyone and to go back to my guardian."

I looked at Astrid and I knew her eyes reflected mine. Fear. "Astrid, take care of Daniel. I'm going to have a look around."

"Drake won't be in town. He will be heading to Coates." A voice said from the doorway. A teen stood in the doorway, blood covering him from head to toe. My heart rose in my throat as I recognized the distinct markings. Whip marks.

"Aidan?" Daniel asked.

Astrid covered Daniel's eyes as blood came out of Aidan's mouth. "Go kill that murderous freak." He looked at the boy in Astrid's arms, then addressed both of us. "My power is with you. Use it to take care of Daniel. He is my responsibility after all, even in death."

Aidan fell to the floor. I went over to him and crouched down beside him. The dying teen said his last five words, "It will all end soon." A cough escaped him and more blood flew out, then he was still.

Rising to my feet, I looked at Astrid. Daniel was in her arms, sobbing at the death of his former guardian. With one last look at the body, I headed for the back door. "Let's end this."

A mumble came from Daniel behind me. "I want to help." The boy looked at the room where Aidan lay. "I have to avenge his death. He told me a long time ago that I was more mature than any kid he had ever seen. It is my power… the ability to speak and think like an older kid. He told me to try to talk like a kid my age until the time was right. This is the time."

I nodded my head. "Okay, come on. We'll try to catch up with Edilio then were going to Coates."

"Lead on." Daniel said.

**Quinn's POV**

I came to an alleyway and saw a piece of fabric on the ground. Picking it up, I noticed there was traces of dried blood on it and it was the color of Daniel's shirt. I ran out of the alleyway and let my instincts guide me. The whole run, there was one thing I continued to repeat in my head. _I will find Daniel._

**Edilio's POV**

I now had a small group of teens with me willing to fight to save Breeze and possibly Lana. We were about to head to Astrid's but that wasn't necessary because Sam was coming toward us with… Daniel. Once they reached the group, I asked, "What are you thinking? Bringing a kid?"

It was the young boy who answered. "Aidan is dead and I will avenge his death whether you like it or not."

Sam looked at me and shook his head, telling me to not argue. I didn't. Sam turned to the group, then back to me. "Have you told them?"

"Yeah."

Sam just nodded, then turned to face the group. "You all know by now what is coming. I'm not going to promise you that everybody will come back, because you never know what could happen. If you want to leave, then go now."

A teen stepped forward and faced Sam. "I'm with you all the way." Then he turned to the others, "I don't know about you guys, but I'm tired of fighting. Hopefully, this will be our last one. Whatever your intentions are, mine is simple. I'll fight so we won't have to fight again. If we die… we'll go down protecting those we love because they are worth fighting for." The teen looked at me and Sam, "My name is Jeremy Field. It will be an honor to fight by your side."

Jeremy and Sam shook hands. Then Sam said, "We're glad to have you."

After that, every other person in the group stated their name. Once I heard what each had to say, it felt like I had known these teens my whole life. Sadness washed over me and I thought I may not see one of them again. Before I knew it, Sam ordered their next move. "Let's go!" We all started to jog, always keeping the same pace, not wanting to break the bond that grew between us. With every step, we edged closer to a battle. One that none of us will forget.

**Daniel's POV**

One minute, everybody was introducing themselves. The next, I had to run to keep up with the crowd. The thought of death ran through my head, but I wasn't afraid. A lot of people had died for me over the months… It is my turn now.

Now, we were outside of Coates Academy. It's features were awful. The building was cracked in places, holes in the walls, what looked like bloodspots… Stomach churning, I turned my gaze to the teen beside me. His face was serious, expecting something each passing second. In a way, I felt sorry for him, because he looked like he wanted death to come to him.

Night fell steadily and that was when everybody started feeling anxious. They were supposed to attack at any moment now and the feeling was dreadful. Finally, Sam gave the command and we started forward. 'Be careful.' I heard a voice whisper from behind me. Turning around, there was nobody there. The voice was familiar, though.

My heart raced as each step took us closer to the place where a battle would be fought. I ran beside a boy named Ethan Miles. In a way, he looked like Will… but I hadn't seen Will in ages. _Oh well, I just have to get away from the past. The present is taking place right now. _

Another teen came up beside me, "You really shouldn't be here." He whispered, "It's too dangerous for you, I mean, you're only a little older than a toddler. Come on, back away and leave the fighting to us."

Glancing over at him, I saw his face was scared yet serious. "I'm sorry, but I can't."

The teen bowed his head, "Alright, but listen. If you need help, me and Ethan are here to back you up. Okay?"

I glared at him, "I don't want help. I've been treated like a little kid for a long time now and I'm tired of it. You don't have to baby-sit me."

That was the end to that conversation, but I had the feeling I was being watched. Somebody was observing our every movement unseen by our eyes. Finally, Sam gave the command to edge closer to the academy. Soon after that, gunfire rang out through the atmosphere.

"Well, looks like they were coming after all." A dark voice said in the shadows.

**Chapter 6: The Beginning of the End**

**Astrid's POV**

Little Pete hadn't moved an inch since the last time I checked on him so I walked downstairs for the seventh time that night and paced around the living room. Worry pulsed through my veins for Sam and Daniel when they left. Especially for Sam. I desperately wanted him to survive, but with the conditions of the FAYZ, the chance of somebody was dying nearly everyday. Now I tried to get the awful thoughts of Sam's failure out of my head by thinking of the past. I had always observed him from a distance, even before the FAYZ began. In my heart, I had always had a soft spot for him. However, my mind told me that a relationship wasn't possible, but I guess it was wrong. Our relationship may be failing a bit now, but love was still there. There was no point in denying it, I would always love him regardless of the mistakes he makes.

Now, there was a risk of him dying and I knew I couldn't bear it if he did. The love was too strong. My thoughts were interrupted when Quinn bolted through the doorway.

"Was Daniel here?" He asked.

I nodded my head. Tears started forming in my eyes at the thought of Sam's body lying in the plaza.

"Astrid? What's wrong?" Quinn asked, walking to me.

I sat on the couch and motioned for the fisherman to sit beside me, He obeyed and waited patiently for me to speak. Once I calmed down I started, "Sam is gathering up some teens to attack Coates. Breeze is most likely being held prisoner there."

Quinn's gaze softened then turned serious. "That's not the thing bothering you."

Tears spilled down my cheeks, "I'm afraid he's going to die. That's what scares me the most, because if he…" My voice broke off.

The boy beside me put his arm around by shoulder and half-hugged me. "Don't say that. He's not going to die."

I finally regained control of myself, "I have something to tell you, but please don't tell Sam unless the time is right."

"I promise… Wait, you're cheating on Sam aren't you?"

More tears fell down my face.

**Sam's POV**

It took me a moment to recognize the monster before me… the Darkness. Behind it, numerous coyotes snarled and paced back and forth, waiting for the command to attack. A thousand questions formed in my head, but I couldn't speak.

Edilio tapped my shoulder and glanced at the academy. Looking up, I saw Breeze, Caine, and Diana on the roof. All of them were tied up. Now, Drake stepped up beside the Darkness.

"Give up, Sam." The psychopath said. "Everyone will die regardless how much you fight."

I was about to speak, but a group of coyotes sprang from the back, pinning four teens to the ground. Edilio reached for his gun, but I stopped him. If there was a threatening movement from any of us, we would all be killed.

So, I looked back at Drake and the Darkness. "What do you want us to do?"

The Darkness laughed, "Die." Then every coyote attacked.

**Lana's POV**

I was exhausted after the long walk I took. The mine lay ahead of me in the distance and I wondered how I was going to do this. My supplies consisted of a bottle of water, can of gasoline I had been saving up for the past few months, and two matches. _This is the only way to get the nightmares to stop. _After the Darkness had smuggled it's way into my head, I knew the plans it was making. The first was to create Drake, then Nerezza, now it was spreading two plagues. The first plague was in the mine which was some sort of bug that finds a way into a human's body. The second at the power plant which was just a major strand of flu that kills you slowly. If I killed them both, there would be a chance the FAYZ could become better. I had saved to many lives to have each one wiped out over a bug and sickness.

_Well Darkness, I'm back and ready to fight again. I know you're at Coates right now, but you can stay there for all I care. As long as I get this job finished here._ Confident, I walked to the mine entrance and prepared to destroy my first target.

**Daniel's POV **

Battle raged all around. The snarls of the coyotes and the angry screams of the teens echoed through the night air. It was nearly impossible to see and I knew the coyotes had the advantage. Gunshots rang from guns and yelps were heard from the coyotes. A mass of fur slammed into me, knocking me down, but fell limp when a bullet tore through it's flesh. Ethan stood at the side with a gun in his hands and I saw the fury in his eyes.

He nodded at me, then started shooting at more of the creatures. A greenish-white light lit up the clearing and I could see. Sam was heading for the Darkness and Drake with Edilio by his side, but fell back once Drake swung his whip at them. Fear surged through me and I wanted to cower somewhere, but I wanted to fight. A shiny object glittered in my peripheral vision, a closer look told me it was a pistol. _Better than being defenseless, _I thought. Once I had it in my hand, I started shooting.

Some coyotes became victims to the bullets and I was confident I could win if I was good enough. Three more bullets came out of the barrel then _click_. I pulled the trigger again. _Click_. The gun was empty, but my mind was having trouble processing it in the heat of battle. A coyote I had been aiming for turned around and launched straight at me. I closed my eyes, waiting for it's teeth to sink into my flesh. Then, I felt the searing pain in my shoulder as the strong jaws clamped down.

The noise of the battle started to dull as blood pumped out of the wound. My vision was starting to get fuzzy, then I sensed a bullet making it's way toward me. A yelp came from the savage beast attacking me and it fell limp. Another teen ran over and pried the killer jaws free of my shoulder.

"Thanks," I told the boy.

"Wasn't me." The teen said. "Came from the roof." He dragged me to my feet, "Now get out of here. You'll only get in the way."

My heart skipped a beat as I remembered the voice, "Will?"

"Yeah, now get out of here, Daniel. Don't ask questions, just go!"

I started away from him, then took off running through the herds of bodies. Finally, I made it out of the middle of the chaos and looked up at the roof. Nobody was there.

Sam's voice rang out across the battlefield, "Retreat!"

In a matter of seconds, teens started to surrender and fell back. I followed them and we were soon away from Coates. There were no pursuers.

Thirty minutes later, Jeremy Field went to Sam. "What was that about?"

"We got what we came after." He replied.

Confused, I glanced around and saw Breeze, Caine, and Diana. Breeze had the look of revenge in her eyes, while Caine and Diana's revealed sheer rage. A hand ruffled my hair and I glanced behind me.

"You can shoot like one of Edilio's soldiers." Quinn remarked. "However, remember one thing, you're still a bit too young. No matter how intelligent you are."

I grinned at him, "You're the one to talk, you quit being a soldier and became a boring fisherman."

He laughed, "That still doesn't mean I can't shoot a rifle."

That was when I noticed the gun slung over his soldier. "You can shoot?"

"If you can, I can. Now, I have to talk to Sam."

**Sam's POV**

I was relieved once I saw Breeze was okay, even if Caine and Diana was with her. Yet, I felt a sense of failure because we still didn't know where Lana was. It wasn't even me who got Breeze off the roof, it was Quinn. He had found a way onto the roof and untied the prisoners, then stealthily walked in the darkness of the night.

Quinn came to me now, "Sam. I want you to take everybody back to town and-"

I cut him off, "Wait. What are you going to do?"

"Look, don't ask any questions. Just do as I say, all right."

"Then tell me what you're planning." I told him.

"I can't tell you! Listen, just trust me on this. Okay, brah."

Without thinking, I blurted out, "How can I trust you?"

The fisherman looked right in my eyes, "You've been wanting to trust me. Astrid told me everything. You told me to take care of Daniel to see if I was trustworthy and he hasn't died yet. Then, when I went to look for Daniel, you told Astrid you trusted me. And now… when I can actually do something right, you question me."

I didn't know what to do. The fact that he wouldn't tell me what he was going to do was bad enough, but his words had the whole truth in them. I didn't trust him during a hardship, but did with the little things. Sighing, I said, "Fine. I'll take them."

Quinn nodded, "Thanks. Oh yeah, I want you to go to the mine at dawn." Then, before I could ask, he said, "Don't ask. Just do what I told you."

"Okay." I replied. Then, I started to lead everybody to town. Glancing over my shoulder, I saw Quinn walking away. "Hey, Quinn!" I yelled and he turned around, "Be careful!"

He raised his hand in a farewell gesture, "Hey! Take care of Astrid! She needs you now more than ever now that she has two hearts in her!" Then, he turned around and started walking again leaving me confused.

**Quinn's POV**

Nobody knew what my life was like. I was not just another mouth to feed in the FAYZ, the fisherman, or the betrayer. No, I was a teenager with a job to do. The Darkness had been inside my head since Sam, Duck, and Caine attempted to destroy it. That was the first time I made contact with the creature. However, I hid that fact from everyone except for Lana. She was just like me and I knew I could trust her and she trusted me. She learnt the Darkness's plans while I found it's weakness. So, we made a plan and it was going to unfold today. By dawn tomorrow, everything will be over. Then, Lana and I would be reunited again.

**Astrid's POV**

I hugged Sam tightly as he walked through the door The fear started to fade from my heart and the painful images left my mind completely. Sam hugged me back for a moment, then pulled away.

"Astrid, what's wrong?"

"I'm just glad you're okay." I said.

Sam walked out onto the porch then asked me, "What all did you tell Quinn?"

"Not much." I replied. "Where is he anyway?"

"I don't know," Sam shrugged. "He just told me to bring everybody back to town. Whatever he's planning, it's going to change his life, either for the good or bad."

**Lana's POV**

Everything was ready now. The line of rope down into the mine and gasoline soaked the entrance. Now, the only thing I had to do was light the match. I did. _Let's see you control me this time, Darkness. _I threw the match at the rope and flames danced along the ground. Taking a few steps back, I watched the inside of the mine become engulfed, then the plague came. Hundreds of bugs flew out of the cave, their bodies lit orange. Their dying screams were unheard to the human ear, but if the Darkness was in your mind, you heard every bit.

I put my hands to my ears to try to block the screaming, but it didn't help. Finally, the screaming died away and I looked in the direction of the power plant. It was the next target and I wanted to see the plan succeed, but I knew I couldn't get there in time. Now, I just had to wait and see what dawn would bring.

**Drake's POV**

The army headed to the power plant under the Darkness's command. It said the plague in the mine was destroyed and I believed him for I heard screaming. The foolish girl Brittney was fighting to regain control of her body, but I kept her locked up in my soul. There was no way I was going to let that stupid girl take control of her body again. Once we arrived at the power plant, the Darkness went straight to the radiation rods.

It fed off radiation, but I didn't understand how it lived so long with a meager supply of it. Pack Leader sniffed the air, "Human stink."

"You would stink too if you were buried for a while." I replied.

"No. Human stuff I smell."

"Human stuff?" I smelled the air. Gasoline. I started to look around to find the source, but found nothing. A voice laughed from the room next door.

"Too late." The voice said and the figure stepped through the doorway with an unlit match.

I relaxed and smiled, "Quinn Gaither. What a surprise. Are you betraying Sam again?"

Quinn shook his head, "I'm tired of running."

I laughed again, "Tell me, what are you planning to do with a match? The Darkness cannot be defeated or killed."

"You're wrong. The Darkness may have an indestructible body, but not inner organs. After all, how does it feed off radiation, breathe, and think if there are no organs? Well, it's impossible. With no way to protect the inner organs, there's only one way to kill it. Smoke." The boy lit the match and held it for me to see.

"You're not going to do it because it'll kill you too." I remarked.

Quinn lifted his head high, "I'll do whatever it takes to kill you, the coyotes, and the Darkness. Also, I'm going to bring the barrier down."

"And how do you plan on doing that?" The Darkness asked.

The boy just grinned and I knew he had become crazy. "Like this." Quinn said.

**Edilio's POV**

Confusion clouded my mind as I walked to Astrid's house to talk to Sam. _Why are we just standing here doing nothing? _More thoughts ran through my head, but I pushed them away. _Whatever comes, comes. _I walked up the porch steps and went in without knocking. Sam was sitting at the kitchen table with his head in his hands. "Sam." I said.

He jumped, "Have you heard of knocking?"

"Yeah, but the door was wide open."

"You might as well sit down." Sam replied. I sat in the chair across from him.

"Breeze, Caine, and Diana are all right and they gave me a lot of information." I remarked. "Apparently, Drake is the one who captured Breeze and held them all hostage."

Sam shrugged, "It makes sense in a way…"

"Yeah, I guess it-" The table started moving along with other accessories in the house. Vases were breaking, the television fell, and other items went wherever they wanted. _Great. Just what we need. An earthquake. Man, this day keeps getting worse and worse. _I heard Astrid upstairs as she forced Little Pete to walk down the stairs and out the door with Sam and I following her. I couldn't walk straight or even keep my balance and the others were having the same problem. Then, a loud _crack_ echoed everywhere and crack appeared in the pavement.

**Quinn's POV**

A large hole appeared between me and my enemy, sending numerous coyotes into the abyss. I laughed at Drake and the Darkness as they struggled to maintain balance. Using that moment, I lit the rope traveling along the wall from one side of the room to the other. Fire engulfed everything with the help of the gasoline. Drake cursed and, after regaining some balance, charged, using his whip hand to grab a pipe and swing himself across. In a blur, the snakelike arm hit my skin. Pain numbed my left arm a bit, but I just grinned. _There's no way I'm dying here. _Drake slashed my skin until I was bleeding all over the floor, but I didn't lose my grin. _Just try to break my spirit. It's not going to work. _

**Chapter 7: Homecoming**

**Sam's POV**

It was now dawn and I did what I was told to do. Edilio fired up a truck that had a little gas in it and we both went to the mine. Edilio tensed up as he pulled up close to the entramce and I guessed he was remembering his last visit. There was a girl sitting on the ground watching the fire ebb away at the entrance of the mine. Edilio and I got out of the vehicle, "Lana!" We yelled and ran to her.

She glanced up at us, "Good. You're here. Come on, we have to go to the power plant."

"What?" Edilio asked.

"Just come on, I'll tell you on the way." She ran toward the truck and sat in the middle, then blew the horn to tell us to hurry up.

"So you and Quinn made up a plan to kill the Darkness?" I asked.

"Yeah. I knew it's every move and Quinn knew it's weakness, which is smoke. If the creature inhaled too much smoke, then it will die like any other living thing." Lana said.

Edilio jumped into the conversation, "So there were two plagues? One was a bad case of flu that would slowly kill you. The other was a nest of bugs that went under your skin and- I don't even want to say it."

Lana nodded, "Exactly, but you don't have to worry. Both of them are dead if Quinn succeeded."

"That's a big 'if', Lana. What would happen-" Smoke was rising in the distance.

"Step on it." Lana told Edilio.

**Lana's POV**

The power plant was not completely engulfed by flames, but there was a lot of smoke. And all we needed was the smoke. I looked around for Quinn, but I didn't see him. "Drive around back. He might be there." Edilio obeyed. Three minutes later, we were at the back of the building. Then, I saw him lying in sand and ashes. I cursed under my breath and jumped out of the vehicle, nearly pushing Sam out of his seat.

I ran over to the body, "Quinn." He was covered in blood, sweat, ashes, and burns, nearly making him unrecognizable except for one feature. He had a smile on his face.

**Quinn's POV**

I was standing on a cliff, looking at Perdido Beach. Lights were on, cars were roaming the streets, and children were with their parents. I wanted to be down there with everybody, but I couldn't move. It was hard to breathe and I continued to look down on the town I had lived in for fifteen years. Behind me, I heard somebody say my name. I glanced over my shoulder and saw no one so I turned back. 'Quinn'. It sounded like it was the wind, but then Lana appeared. Her stomach was bulging outward and I knew what was going on right away. 'Come.' Lana's voice was as sweet as honey. I started to walk to her…

"Quinn." I opened my eyes and saw Lana knelt beside me in the sand. The pain was nearly unbearable, but that didn't stop me.

"The FAYZ. Is it gone?" I asked her.

Sam answered, "No. Little Pete is the one who created it. He's the one who has to stop it."

I swallowed painfully, "Plagues?"

"They're gone." Lana replied. She looked at Sam and Edilio, "Carry him to the truck."

Edilio moved forward but Sam stopped him, "I'll carry him. Just get the truck started."

A few minutes later, I was lying in the back of the truck with Lana sitting on the floorboard beside me. She was trying to heal me, but I didn't feel a bit better. My lungs burned with each breath I took. Blackness started forming at the corner of my eyes, "Lana. I have. One- last job… to- do." I didn't wait for her permission. A few days ago, I realized I had two powers. One was the ability to cause earthquakes and the second was the strangest of the two. I could also find people's souls, so could I get into them?

I searched for the most useful soul and I found it. _Here it goes._

**Astrid's POV**

The night was becoming stranger and stranger. It started when the impossible happened, when Little Pete actually made sense. "Astrid?"

"Petey?" I asked, not believing what I was hearing.

"Sorry, but I don't have long." Little Pete said. He closed his eyes and an aura glowed around him. I felt the power flowing from him. The FAYZ started flickering, like a glitch in a game. Finally, it went down.

"Little Pete?" I asked as his eyes glazed over for a moment. "Little Pete?"

He looked at me, "Munchy, munchy."

**Lana's POV**

The movement from Quinn's chest ceased. Tears flowed down my face as I accepted the fact that my boyfriend was dead and there was nothing I could do. Edilio drove along the beach to avoid the crowd of kids.

"There's waves." Sam said.

I looked at the ocean and sure enough, there was waves. "The FAYZ barrier is down…" Then, I remembered Quinn's last words, _'I have one last job to do.'_. Was it possible that Quinn made the FAYZ go down? Was that his last job?

A few minutes later, parents started to swarm the town. My grandfather located me, but I didn't leave Quinn's side along with Sam, Edilio, Astrid, and Little Pete. Briefly, I remembered when the FAYZ first came. The six of us started the journey together and now it was coming to an end with only five surviving. _Quinn, if you can hear me, I just wanted to tell you I love you and I'll take care of our child._


	6. Chapter 6

**Six Years Later**

**Lana's POV**

"Mom, can I go surf?" The little boy with a surfboard asked his mother.

"Sure, just make sure either Daniel or Sam is with you." I replied.

Immediately, he ran over to eleven year old Daniel, who obviously agreed. Together, they ran to the water with a board in their hands. I chuckled in amusement as the two kids done their best to surf.

"I swear, Chris becomes more like Quinn with each passing day." Sam said from behind me. Astrid was with him with their six year old son, Matt. They married once the FAYZ ended and looked like they were living life to its fullest.

I nodded, "To be honest, I think he is Quinn at times. The looks-" About that time, Chris wiped-out and got up spitting saltwater out of his mouth. His sea green eyes was filled with anger and disbelief as if he told the wave to not let him wipe-out.

"Don't forget the personality. Quinn had the same look on his face when he messed up and he'd blame it on the wave." Sam remarked. "Hey, Matt. Why don't you go out there?"

He looked at his mom with puppy dog eyes, "Can I?"

Astrid laughed, "Well, let's go get your board from the vehicle." She took his hand in hers and walked to the vehicle.

Sam stretched, "Well, I might as well go with them since I have the keys." He pulled them from his pocket and hollered, "Astrid! Did you forget something?" He showed her the keys and watched as she checked her pockets then shrugged. Sam ran to catch up with them, leaving me alone to watch the kids.

Chris was riding a wave now, his tongue sticking out of the corner of his mouth in concentration. Finally, he made it to the beach and got off the board yelling, "I did it! I surfed!"

I laughed and shouted, "Good job! You might just become a surfer yet!"

He grinned his father's grin and went back into the water. _Quinn, can you see him? Can you see your son? Are you proud of him? Are you proud of our little boy. _


End file.
